Author: Ian Hunter (pseud.)

About: What the characters of this book do to fill their leisure hours goes by many names: swinging, group parties, swapping and weekend trades are a few. It's not an unfamiliar practice in our recent times, and like leisure time, is becoming more common each year.

The author of this book saw and made a correlation between leisure time and the new moral standards of the American citizen. His premise is both taught and convincing. Some who read this book will call the effect shocking and perverse, but we ask merely that such readers look deeply at the social causes which make this story a timely one.

Excerpt:

“Nice going, captain! A real river pilot couldn't have done much better,” his wife exclaimed breathing a sigh of relief. She had remained absolutely still as Jack made the difficult maneuver, but once the houseboat was passing through the inlet, she walked outside to the forward deck. Once past the initial opening the channel widened out considerably, the leaf laden trees dipping their branches down to the quiet waters of the small slough.

“Is the water very clear?” Jack called from inside.

“Fairly...” she answered, leaning out to look over the front of the boat. The further in they went, the less mud seemed to be in the water, and after only a few minutes, Gail thought she could see the bottom.

“Oh, Jack, it's a private lake,” she exclaimed, joining her husband at the controls of the boat.

“Sure is,” he said. “You did a nice job spotting this inlet, honey.” He was pleased, both because the area was nice, and also because it was so very private. It was an ideal setting in which to carry out his plans and he headed the houseboat for the farthest point, figuring he could tie up to some of the overhanging branches. He pointed the front end of the boat toward the beach area and the setting sun, beginning to feel anxious about their first evening on the boat together. Letting the boat drift sideways toward a large branch that hung out over the water a good distance, he left the controls to tie up.

“Can I help?” asked Gail, admiring the water and its profound calm.

“All's under control,” he answered, and he grunted as he grabbed the branch and then pulled to move the houseboat closer in. “I'm going to tie up here... How do you like it?”

“I was just thinking how nice it would be to go swimming. Too bad it's getting so dark so soon.”

“Well, there ought to be some sort of big full moon out here tonight, darling. Skinny dipping in the moonlight! How about that?!”

Gail turned and walked inside the cabin, pretending that she didn't hear what he said. In the excitement of finding the private river lagoon she had forgotten about the disturbing aspects of the trip. While Jack was busy with making the boat secure, Gail walked past the living and galley areas to the bedroom to put on something that covered more of her body than the swim suit. She was determined to be careful in avoiding any sex related conversation with Jack. She felt sure that he had something in mind that she wasn't going to like.